How Much Information Should You Include in a Knowledge Base Article? [VIDEO]

When you write your know base articles, is there such a thing as including too little or too much information?

The short answer is "yes." It can be hard to strike the balance between overwhelming your end-users with too much information or leaving them lost because you didn't include enough directions.

Your knowledge base articles are where employees turn to get answers.

As the Director of Transformational Services at ScreenSteps — a knowledge base software company — I've coached companies on some of the best practices for writing knowledge base articles. 

One approach I recommend is rephrasing the question you ask. Instead of asking yourself, “How much information should I include? ” ask, “What information would help employees get unstuck?”

It’s a subtle difference, but it’s important.

Watch this 1-minute video to learn how to gauge the amount of information you should include in your knowledge base articles. 

📽️ Watch Related: Help Users Get Unstuck: One Purpose of Your Knowledge Base [VIDEO]

Gauge how long your articles should be

It can be difficult to know how much information to include in your knowledge base articles.

If you remember your goal is to help employees when they are stuck, then it helps you determine what information to include or leave out.

With our ScreenSteps authoring tools, you have tools — like foldable sections, links, and pop-ups — to help you write standard operating procedures that are easy for your employees to follow.

Use the five tips in this article to help you determine how long your knowledge base articles should be.